The Gift
by kithara1013
Summary: Read author's bio first: School has ended. Joan has a lot to think about with the entrance of Ryan Hunter. God has some plans in the works for Joan as well
1. Chapter 1

Fandom: Joan of Arcadia

Pairing: Joan/Adam eventually

Rating: T

Spoilers: Takes place after season 2 finale

Disclaimer: No one belongs to me.

Notes: I don't know when Adam's birthday is so for the sake of this story, I'm putting it in the Summer.

Summary: School has ended. Joan has a lot to think about with the entrance of Ryan Hunter. God has some plans in the works for Joan as well.

* * *

The Gift

"Hello Joan."

Joan looked up from her book as Old Lady God walked into the bookstore. She sighed and put her book down. Pasting a fake smile on her face, she turned towards God. "Hello ma'am. Can I help you with anything in particular? We have a pretty good religious section in the back of the store."

God peered at her over her glasses. "I've read them all. Fascinating, really. You should look into it. But that's not why I'm here."

Joan straightened up the counter. "Of course not. You never stop by to just hang out. It's always, 'do this' or 'build that'." She looked at God.

God placed Her purse on the counter. "Well I am omniscient. Small talk would be redundant since any questions I ask, I know the answer to."

"Yeah, yeah." Joan waved her hand. "So what am I supposed to do now?"

God smiled. "I want you to give Adam a present."

"Uh," Joan blinked. "A present?"

"Yes Joan, it's something you give your friend because you care."

Joan rolled her eyes. "I know what it is. I wouldn't know what to get him."

God raised an eyebrow. "Why is that?" She walked over to the arts and crafts section and started browsing through the books.

"Well, what do I get him now that we're not-" Joan fidgeted. "You know." God looked at her then went back to checking out book titles. "Besides, I forgave him and all that. Getting him a gift would be... awkward."

"Tell him."

"What?"

She smiled. "Tell him about Me."

Joan had to close her mouth. "Tell him… you're serious?" God looked at her. "Of course you're serious. Why?"

God put down the book that She had been looking at.

Joan rubbed her head. "Right, don't question. So for my gift, you want me to tell him about You."

God smiled. "Really Joan, you need to learn how to pay attention," She said as She left the store.

Joan looked out the window. "How am I supposed to do that?" she yelled. "Well this is great."

* * *

Joan couldn't believe she was doing this. She was going to tell her secret that she'd been keeping for the past year to the boy who had cheated on her. Why God wanted her to do this, she didn't know. But there was one thing she had learned from her missions with God, and that was to do what He asked. If God wanted her to convince Adam that He was real, then she would. The only problem would be getting Adam to believe her. She remembered when she had tried to tell him in the hospital when she had Lyme disease. He didn't believe her then.

She sighed and looked at the garage where Adam's dad had said he was. After Adam had gotten lost in the woods, she thought she had lost him. She had been so afraid Adam had done something to hurt himself. She had told Grace the truth, she still loved Adam but didn't know if she could trust him again. Was that why God wanted her to tell him? To learn to trust Adam?

Even if that was her mission, she didn't know if she could do it. Not yet. Though a month had passed, the pain was still new, still fresh. When she looked at Adam, all she could see was him kissing Bonnie. How could she even think of trusting him with a secret as important as God?

Joan turned around. She had to get out of here. She couldn't do this. Why did He think she could? She looked up and froze. Across the street was a little girl with pigtails and a blue ball. The girl smiled and pointed to the garage then gestured towards it.

Joan shook her head. "No, I can't do this. I don't care why you want me too, I can't-"

"Jane?"

Joan froze and closed her eyes. She swallowed and took a deep breath before turning around. "Hi Adam."

Adam smiled hesitantly, as though afraid to show how happy he was to see her. "What are you doin' here?"

Jane looked over her shoulder to the girl who was bouncing her ball on the sidewalk. She turned back to Adam. "Oh, I just thought we could, you know, talk."

Adam nodded. "Yeah. Come on." He led the way into the shed, Joan following. Adam sat down on his stool behind the table where a mess of wires and metal were spread out. Joan fidgeted, unsure of what to say. Adam just looked at her.

"So," she said, not looking at her.

"How are you?" Adam asked in that soft, uncertain voice of his.

Joan looked at him and tried to smile. "I'm good. Glad school is over, you know."

"Yeah."

She looked around, trying to find something to focus. She cleared her throat. "Adam-" she started.

"Jane," he said at nearly the same time.

"You start," she said.

He shook his head. "No, go. It's… it's not important."

Joan walked over to the table and started playing with some of the wires. "Oh, well. Do you remember…." She had no idea how she was going to do this. "Adam, I have something to tell you."

Adam looked away and she realized he looked scared. He was afraid of what she would say and she knew he had good reason to be. She hadn't been the nicest person recently although she had been trying.

"You know how I sometimes get a little crazy and do weird things?"

Adam nodded and looked confused. "Yeah."

"Well the truth is, I mean, the reason why I do those things is that… It's because-"

"Jane," Adam said. She looked at him, scared. She couldn't get through this. He looked at her. "Just say it."

She nodded and took a deep breath. "I talk-"

"Yo Rove! You in there?"

Joan shut her eyes in frustration. She loved Grace. Really she did, but sometimes her timing sucked.


	2. Chapter 2

Joan wanted to scream. Grace had shown up and decided to stay for a while. Normally Joan didn't mind, she was happy that she could finally feel comfortable around her three friends. She knew she had been hurting Grace by ostracizing Adam but she couldn't help it; she had been hurt by what he had done. But when Adam had gotten lost during that storm, she had been so scared he would die thinking she hated him.

She didn't.

"Yo Girardi, you listening?"

Joan looked up and tried to focus on the conversation. "What?"

Grace sighed. "I asked what you were doing tonight. I thought the three of us could watch a movie."

She opened her mouth to say that she was busy but the look on Adam's face stopped her. He looked so hopeful that she would go. A few weeks ago, she wouldn't have cared how he felt. Now? "Yeah, I'm free. we can go to my house."

The smile Adam gave nearly blinded her.

* * *

They talked for a little while then Grace had to leave. Adam and Joan were left alone. They were silent for a moment.

"What did you want to tell me?"

Joan looked at Adam. "Oh, it's not important." She started to head to the door.

"Jane."

She froze at the sound of his voice. She turned around. He had stood up and moved in front of his workbench.

"You might want to sit down for this."

Adam nodded. He picked up his stool and place it closer to Joan.

She took a deep breath. "It's a little complicated."

"I'm listening."

I know, she thought. She could do this. It was just like any other assignment. All she had to do was tell Adam -- her ex-boyfriend who had cheated on her – her biggest secret. "God, why is this so hard," she muttered.

Adam said nothing, though she knew he had heard her. She was hoping He had heard her also but He was silent. As usual.

Her cellphone rang. She closed her eyes then pulled her phone out of her pocket. "Hello?" she asked angrily.

"It doesn't need to be so hard, Joan," an unfamiliar voice said.

"Y-you make phone calls now?"

She could hear the grin in His voice. "I try to keep up with technology."

Joan turned away from Adam. "What do you want? As I'm sure you know, I was about to wrap up this newest assignment."

"I know."

There was silence. "Well?" she asked.

"Do you want to?"

Her jaw dropped. God was asking her? She started pacing, oblivious to the fact that Adam was watching her, a worried expression on his face.

"What do you mean? This is an assignment, a mission. I do what you say."

"Have you forgotten already?"

Joan snorted. "What? Free will? No, I haven't. But every time I don't listen, something bad happens. So I'm doing what you said out of self-preservation."

"This assignment is a bit different."

"God," she said.

"Yes?"

"Okay that was funny the first 100 times."

"Commandment three, Joan."

She gritted her teeth. "So what's part two of this wonderful assignment."

"You have to 'want' to tell Adam."

She stopped. "Are you serious?"

Silence was her answer.

"Stupid question," she said. "So I have to want to tell him about You." She thought for a second. "And if I just tell him now."

"Then you tell him."

"Fine." She started to hang up.

"But Joan, think about the consequences." God hung up.

She stared at her phone then put it away. What did that mean?

If she told Adam now, she'd get this assignment over with and move on with her life. Adam would now and... then what?

"Jane?"

On the other hand, if she waited to tell Adam until she wanted to, it would accomplish the same thing. Adam would still know about her conversations with God. But, contrary to popular belief, Adam wasn't stupid. he would 'know' if she didn't want to tell him.

"Jane."

Was that it? If Adam felt she wanted to tell him, it would make things better? How could she tell him if she didn't trust him?

"Joan!"

Her head snapped up. The object of her thoughts was standing in front of her. "You called me Joan."

"Yeah, it was the only way I could think of to get your attention. Are you okay?"

She looked at him and made her decision. "Yeah. I'm sorry Adam but... the time isn't right."

He looked confused. "What?"

"I want to tell you, really. But I have to think through some things first. I promise I will tell you."

He looked away. "Is it bad?"

She snorted. "No, just annoying." He wouldn't look at her. "Adam, it's complicated. I just need some time to straighten out some things. Okay?"

"Okay." He stepped back and she was suddenly aware of how close he had been standing.

"I'll talk to you later.

"Yeah. Later."


End file.
